


Seasonal Fruits

by hyuckrens



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fist Fight, Flirting, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, High School, Homophobic Language, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Making Out, Misunderstandings, Nayeon and Jaemin but not really, No Smut, Passage of time, Summer Vacation, Teenage Drama, Underage Drinking, Underage Drug Use
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-08 01:03:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15919776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyuckrens/pseuds/hyuckrens
Summary: He was so sure he could handle this. An unrequited crush and a week surrounded by Mark Lee. He was a summer child and he was in his element, Donghyuck would escape this without shedding a single tear. Well, at least not until fall.





	1. Apricot Blush and Faded Peach

**Author's Note:**

  * For [brbabe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brbabe/gifts), [ultraviolentae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultraviolentae/gifts).



> Hi guys, hope you enjoy the first chapter of this fic. Please beware I'm starting university on the 23rd so I cannot promise my updates will be regular during this time. However, I don't intend for this fic to be too long. 
> 
> I genuinely have no idea how this even came to be, but please leave your honest feedback and feelings about how the plot should unfold- it's very early days and I'll take it all into consideration.
> 
> But other than that enjoy! 
> 
> Dedicating this to Loli, Gio and Mari since I love them the mostest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

** Apricot Blush and Faded Peach **

 

 

 

 

 

 

_“Hi, I’m Mark-”_

 

_“I know,” sighed Donghyuck, dipping down to catch the condensation with his bottom lip at the rim of his solo cup, his brows furrowed in concentration, not making eye contact with the boy beside him._

 

_“Ah that’s cool, nice that you know my name and all, what’s your -”_

 

_“Donghyuck.”_

 

_“Oh, ok. Nice, nice to meet you Donghyuck.”_

 

_"I'm in your Lit class.”_

 

_“I saw you, you sit a couple seats back- figured I’d, introduce myself.”_

 

 _Donghyuck sighed, the guy was absolutely clueless. He tipped his head up so it was touching the wall behind him._ Nayeon’s _parents were rich and their wallpaper had these gold embellishments that he was positive were real gold, and when he got high, it felt like the swirls around them_ were _moving._

 

_It was a psychedelic trip he particularly enjoyed but preferred to experience alone. At least this time, since Jeno almost always got dragged away by a harem of girls around this time of night. They’d throw him across whatever surface wasn’t covered with solo cups and half-empty bottles of alcohol so they could take body shots out of his 'washboard abs' because his dumbass best friend didn’t have the heart to tell them he was gay._

 

_He wasn’t sure if he should spare Mark Lee the knowledge that their teacher had chanted his name a good five times to their class before he’d even entered the room and reminded them an excessive amount that he was from America. The land of the ‘Cheeseburger’ and ‘Kim Kardashian’, only for Mark to jump in at the front of the class later, and awkwardly shake his arms in disagreement saying he was actually from Canada. Fewer Kardashians and more Maple Syrup._

 

_But he did feel a little bad for the guy, he looked like he was about to pop a vein from stress just blurting out his name to Donghyuck at a party, and that was with alcohol. The boy must have really struggled in other social situations if he couldn’t handle this._

 

_He rolled his eyes a little before dragging Mark Lee to stand beside him, back also pressed against the corridor wall facing the wallpaper Donghyuck had taken a particular liking to, “D’you smoke Mark Lee from Canada or are you guys more into chugging Maple Syrup over there?”_

 

 

 

_The boy’s big round eyes widened comedically and in tandem with his small mouth, both forming a cartoonish ‘o’ shape, “I smoke- I have smoked- I mean, what I meant to say is that yes I take weed.”_

 

_Donghyuck giggled at this tipping his head back, hitting it lightly against the wall behind him, already a little stoned and feeling the vibrations of the heavy bass music coming from the living room against his skull, “You take it?”_

 

_Mark groaned, brows furrowing. His hair was something else, everyone instantly began to whisper about Mark Lee from Canada the second he sat down beside Heejin. It was blonde and permed in waves that made him look like one of the lion’s from the zoology encyclopedia Renjun always had on him. The boy’s spectacles were also an interesting addition to his overall look. Donghyuck didn’t know if it was charming that he kept such an anti-traditional Korean look going on his first day of school or stupid._

 

_"I smoke it okay, okay, just pass the lighter- I can feel myself sweating, it’s like I’m being interrogated,” he sighed, a subtle grin on his lips forming as he nudged Donghyuck, who’d mimed dipping his hand into the pocket of his black ripped jeans a couple times jokingly just to torture the other a little more._

 

_“Friends share,” the boy whined in frustration, eyes squinting a little in mock annoyance; Donghyuck also came to notice they were a little glassy, which would most likely be from some deadly concoction of liquors Nayeon had lined up on every flat surface of her place._

 

_“Oh, so we’re friends now?,” Donghyuck giggled, “I didn’t realise we were friends, Mark Lee who I met 5 minutes ago.”_

 

 _Finally, he took pity on the boy and took out a blunt from the worn out paper box he’d squashed into his back pocket, and the lighter Jaemin had gotten him with betty boop on it last year for secret_ santa _. Then, he grabbed Mark Lee by the cuff of his old looking jean jacket and led him to the porch outside._

 

_Summer was coming and Donghyuck could smell it, the air was thicker and a little dustier, with the evenings brighter and ground rougher._ _They sat at the edge of the porch with their feet hanging off the side and arms behind them, lounging back._

 

_“_ _So, how come you moved back here Canada?”_

 

_Mark laughed at this nickname, a polite and kind laugh, a laugh that probably hated this nickname already but didn’t want to speak up about it. Naturally, Donghyuck would continue using said nickname until Mark finally broke and decided to tell him to shut up, and even then he couldn’t promise he’d stop. He would never miss such a blatant opportunity to tease._

 

_“My parents split up and my dad stayed with his congregation in Canada and mum took me and my brother Jisung back to Korea.”_

 

_Donghyuck absorbed this for a minute, twirling the blunt a little in his hand before passing it over to Mark who inhaled deeply and leant back, his long neck arched._

 

 _“So is the hair some kind of rebellious decision, a big fuck you to the religious father? Or just a run of the mill fashion statement.”_  
_Mark choked a little on the smoke as he exhaled, grabbing Donghyuck’s solo cup filled with some mixture of cranberry and whatever hard liquor he could find in the fridge._

 

_"Dude, this is way too strong fuck,” the boy coughed, laughing mid-hack before dissolving into a pile of splattering giggles._

 

_“Don’t choke there Mark Lee, I’m way too out of it to give effective CPR.”_

 

_“I was in a play.”_

 

_“A what?”_

 

_“The hair- It was for a production.”_

 

_“You act?!”_

 

_The boy blushed at this, visibly embarrassed- cheeks red to match the solo cup he was gripping in his long fingers with very tidy trimmed nails- which Donghyuck was getting distracted by because his own gnarly bitten nails could not relate, he also did this with Jeno, and just about any person with pretty nails. He took great notice of any guy with a good set of nail polish ready nails._

 

_Just as Donghyuck was about to blurt out if Mark Lee, from Canada, would allow him to paint his nails with his sisters nail polish- very randomly and without any context to the given conversation- the other boy saved him by continuing to explain his somewhat uncharacteristic hobby; “Basically, promise you won’t laugh. I rap sometimes, I like poetry and writing in Lit is my favourite part of the whole subject. I’ve been trying to post my music but I wanted to change up my look to bring more attention to me as a musician, or whatever. The only way my parents would let me do it was if I lied to them that it was for the church and our annual Christmas play. I literally asked to be in this play, with my stage fright and general awkwardness, played angel Gabriel in the nativity, and before doing so got my hair done in the most ‘angel’ like way along with the bleach to convince my parents it was for the sake of authenticity. So- I don’t really act, I did it once if you’d even call it acting. But I do rap.”_

 

_“Wow. You went to all that trouble for this-,” Donghyuck grabbed a tuft of Mark’s curls and tugged at them lightly, “-hair. You should let me and Jaemin at it, we dye our hair a different colour every year- and I’ll have you know. It looks great every time.”_

 

_Mark grinned back at Donghyuck and twisted his body to face him, closing the comfortable gap between them just a little bit, a casual observer might not notice this but Donghyuck had a special radar for it, for people’s physical closeness to him._

 

_“Oh, are you going to give me orange hair too.”_

 

_“It’s peach you uncultured-”_

 

_Mark snickered at this, nose scrunching a little, “Peach, It’s peach. You’re right how could I be so stupid.”_

 

_They continued to pass the cup of alcohol back and forth, as well as the lit blunt in comfortable silence before making their way back. One thing Donghyuck had always known about himself was that it took a lot to get him truly wasted, it was in the family DNA. Sometimes, h_ _is sister Gowon would sit with him on the jungle gym outside, they’d pass a bottle of whatever they could get out the house that wouldn’t be missed and play truth or dare whilst testing their tolerance. Gowon typically won, however, she was the middle child and Donghyuck was certain she wasn’t actually human. It seemed they were genetically programmed to stomach their alcohol and rarely got hungover._

 

 _Mark, was clearly a lightweight. He grabbed Donghyuck’s arm and stopped him at the spot they’d previously occupied in_ Nayeon’s _corridor and said, “You’re pretty-,” to which Donghyuck inhaled a sharp breath of air, “Intimidating”. Just as quickly letting it go with a blunt exhale of pent-up disappointment. However, Mark seemed to pick up on this and twirled him back to his previous spot before he could escape, “but also pretty, pretty without the intimidating- pretty peach Donghyuck.”_

 

 _“You’re drunk,” he groaned in response, biting his lip through a grin, “come here loser, get some water- I’m going to speak to Jeno. Wait no- Mark not from the jug- pour it in a cup. Oh my god._ ”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"What’s that?” Sooyoung questioned, grabbing Donghyuck’s wrist in a carelessly rough manner only older siblings could really get away with.

 

“It’s a bracelet- and,” Donghyuck huffed, clawing his hand away from his nosy sister, “give me back my arm you she-devil.”

 

Sooyoung paused, and with the most deadpan expression looked Donghyuck up and down, “Who are you calling a she-devil, I literally raised you.”

 

“Don’t let mum and dad hear you saying that.”

 

“Truth hurts,” she sang sarcastically before tugging Donghyuck forward and continuing to poke at his eye with an eyeliner again. His eldest sister, Sooyoung worked at the main make-up counter of their local mall and in spite of having two other sisters to practice her skills on- she chose Donghyuck every time because apparently, he was the only one she could “tolerate” to spend time with for more than five minutes.

 

In addition to this, she’d also made Donghyuck take all the photos for her modelling portfolio, completely ignoring the fact Yeri was literally going to study photography in a couple months and reasoned it with only trusting “immediate” family, like Yeri didn’t share the exact same family tree as the both of them.

 

“Well, Donghyuckie- who gave it to you. Don’t lie to me, you have my eyebrows I know when you’re lying.”

 

Donghyuck most definitely did not look like Sooyoung, but his sister was a little crazy and admittedly they were alike in that sense. She’d often accredited this to the both of them being the Gemini’s in the family. However, Donghyuck thought it was most likely the fact that he was the youngest and Sooyoung was the eldest and so she took him under her wing after he’d been born- and carried him around like her little baby sized handbag, growling at Gowon that if she ever dared to put her grubby little middle child hands on her Donghyuck she’d shave all her Barbies bald.

 

He glanced down at the bracelet, it had brown beads strung onto a little-plaited base with a shark tooth-like charm in the middle; “It’s just a bracelet Sooyoung, a friend gave it to me ok- he was high out of his mind and he’ll probably want it back by tomorrow.”

 

Sooyoung’s hand froze, mid applying an apricot blush to Donghyuck’s cheeks that matched his current hair colour almost perfectly- a faded peach. Her eyes made sharp contact with Donghyuck’s and she glared.

 

“Oh fine- Mark Lee gave it to me last night, he’s new- he’s fucking gawky and barely even taller than me and in his pissed drunk state refused to let me sit down and nap on Jeno until I had his dumb shark tooth looking bracelet strapped to my wrist.”

 

His sister pondered this quizzically for a minute, “Shark teeth aren’t very Canadian, shouldn’t he be giving you his Hockey letterman jacket or something? His lucky puck?”

 

“I- I think he mentioned it was from his trip to California or something?” Donghyuck mumbled, his cheeks heating up the more he spoke about his encounter with the new boy. He really hoped under all that bb cream and concealer, that his sibling wouldn’t catch his sudden physical display of embarrassment or maybe flustered disarray.

 

All his sister did, however, was sigh, pinch Donghyuck’s cheek and clear her throat like she was one of the electoral candidates always on their TV these days before announcing; “You’re still marrying Jeno, 12 year old me didn’t dress the two of you up in matching tuxes and take those polaroids back when you were in your diapers for it not to become a reality.”

 

“Please, we have a contract. If we’re still single when we’re 30- Jeno and I will elope in Vegas with the Elvis impersonators and then move to the countryside so we can run our own farm, with the cows and everything. You will be the first one we’ll call to come be our witness. Besides, It was nothing. He was so drunk he won’t even remember talking to me at all.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

It was midnight and Donghyuck was in no mood to be denied affection. The four of them were lying on the ground at the play park just outside their apartment complex. The torch from Jeno’s phone being the only real light illuminating the abandoned fenced off area.

 

Donghyuck had his head pressed against Renjun’s neck, who he was absolutely certain had the best and softest neck in all of Korea. He was quick to compliment Renjun on this on multiple occasions and was always promptly ignored before being told the whole conversation was fucking weird and commanded that he was not to speak in Renjun’s general vicinity for the remainder of the school day.

 

But Donghyuck was going for a home run in terms of skinship, he had his arm around Jaemin who was most definitely the best cuddler out of the three options on hand. The pink haired boy didn’t skimp out on any affection, it was full body or no hug at all- and then his hand was right where it belonged, holding Jeno’s bigger stubbier hand. The hand that was the very warmest and most comfortable to hold, in Donghyuck’s opinion at least.

 

“What’s up Hyuck- you haven’t called for a four-way cuddle since- what? At least a year ago.”

 

“Mark Lee and Heejin are dating,” Jeno sighed, lighting up a blunt with his other hand.

 

“Ah-,” replied Jaemin knowingly just as Donghyuck hissed for Jeno to “Shut up.”

 

“That’s what I mean,” hummed Renjun, “How’d you know if a guy is even straight or just friendly these days. If you do something about it you’ll look like a fucking idiot when it turns out he doesn’t do dick.”

 

“Could still be Bi-,” Jaemin chimed, “Heejin probably just got there first, they’re sat together in class after all and I think Nayeon was saying if Heejin didn’t go for it, then she would. Seems Mark Lee is popular.”

 

“Fuck men.”

 

“That’s Sooyoung talking.”

 

Donghyuck groaned, pressing his face harder into Renjun’s neck, who proceeded to pinch his side in retaliation just as Jeno sat up and passed the cigarette to the side- leaving the decision of who takes a hit next up to whoever moved to grab it fastest.

 

They all sat up in unison. However, Donghyuck decided he wasn’t interested in a hit and dramatically crawled his way onto his friends' laps to lye across them as they passed the rolled blunt around without him. He was too annoyed to smoke.

 

At first, Jeno ruffled his hair and proceeded to talk shit about Mark Lee. He pointed out his hair looked dumb, saying it matched his equally stupid Jeep looking car that he always filled up two parking spaces with by accident to the annoyance of just about every car-owning student in their year. Meanwhile, Jaemin poked his stomach, saying he would make out with Donghyuck all night at Nayeon’s next party just to rub it in Mark Lee’s face that the boy he had absolutely no clue vaguely liked him, was totally over him.

 

They’d all waited for Renjun’s piece of comforting advice till finally the boy huffed and pushed back his honey blonde hair before grumbling, “-and I’ll use my new marker pens to write Mark Lee is a dumb fuck on the walls of the toilet stalls.”

 

Feeling touched at his best friends support in the face of his impromptu heartbreak Donghyuck sat up and grabbed Renjun by the cheeks before saying, “I love you, you delicious blonde hunk o’-”

 

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” growled Renjun, tickling Donghyuck even harder as the two boys devolved into a rolling mess on the ground almost hitting their heads on the abandoned roundabout as they continued play-fighting.

 

Jeno huffed and grabbed the blunt back from Jaemin, wrapping his arm around the other boy’s shoulder who smiled a lopsided smirk before gently tilting Jeno’s head by the chin with the palm of his hand to observe Renjun pin Donghyuck to the ground and grab his hair with his claw-like nails.

 

“He sure does love recreating the images from that animal book he’s got as much as he does reading about them.”

 

“Tell me about it.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

The next time Mark Lee spoke to Donghyuck was a couple weeks later, by then Donghyuck had convinced himself he was over it. Yeah, they’d spent one night together and it was nice- it was one pleasant conversation and one “pretty peach” too many but he knew it was just that. A fluke.

 

At most the other boy had waved at Donghyuck cluelessly a couple times since they last spoke and maybe opened the door for him once or twice- he didn’t keep a tally. In fact, he’d made it his mission to ignore Mark Lee for his own benefit, even if there was no real explanation behind it in Mark’s eyes- It was a necessary defence mechanism in Donghyuck’s. He refused to develop feelings for a boy who was interested in someone else and frankly he was too lazy and too impatient to do the ‘friend’s’ thing instead.

 

Nayeon had planned a trip to her parent’s lake house for the first week of summer and being her “best friend” of the opposite gender, Donghyuck was one of the first ones to be invited. Renjun was not subtle about his distaste towards Nayeon, who Jaemin was currently having a thing with. No matter how much she flipped her glossy black ponytail and directed her CF award winning smile his way, Renjun gave her nothing to work with.

 

Donghyuck had slept around Nayeon’s house one night and on her obscenely large king sized bed with sheet masks on their faces that she’d pulled out of a drawer dedicated to sheet masks alone, he listened to her rant about the cold war that was only growing colder between her and Renjun.

 

You see, Nayeon and Jaemin were never a couple. However, they’d both had varied outlooks on the matter. Nayeon was flippant, she got what she wanted- a boy with the best muscles in their year and charming laidback confidence at her feet, who was absolutely shameless and the most fun she’d ever had.

 

Meanwhile, Jaemin was harder to read in the situation because he was competitive, every time Nayeon made out with another guy at some get together they’d had that week Donghyuck could literally see the flames build up in Jaemin’s eyes. His theory was, however, not that his friend was in love with Nayeon but that he was hungry to make her realise he was the best she could ever have, he had something to prove.

 

It was mutually unhealthy in the end and Renjun saw the hardness in Jaemin’s eyes as a result of Nayeon manipulating him or stringing him along heartlessly. He didn’t see the logic in all the whirlwind hot and cold energy between them and made it obvious that he didn’t care for Nayeon.

 

This made convincing him to go on the trip to her lakehouse a difficult endeavour.

 

“We will all be there, sharing a room, with bunk beds and everything- without you. Drinking some fucking good homemade lemonade- without you. Playing strip poker- without you.”

 

Renjun wasn’t budging.

 

“You know that if you don’t go, Jaemin won’t have someone on his bunk. Naturally, he’ll get distracted, feel left out of the fun and make his way over to Nayeon’s in the middle of the night to overcompensate for that stupendous amount of energy he has. He won’t have you there, his reasonable, wise and always right conscience to stop him and god knows what drama will unfold.”

 

This made Renjun pause and think. He put down the book he’d been reading. Something about Zoo ethics. He even stared at the wall for a minute, frozen- as if he were debating this entire thing in his head before stating, “Fine, I’ll go.”

 

Success.

 

They were all going, Renjun’s agreement will be something Nayeon naturally takes as progress in their relationship- instead of a red alert that Jaemin will be off bounds for the entire week. Meanwhile, Donghyuck could use the time to enjoy having fun with his best friends at dusk, by the lake, making memories.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Mark Lee drove up to the chalet style house, in his stupid wannabe Jeep a couple hours after Jeno had parked nearby with his own car. It had a drooling Donghyuck asleep in the front passenger's seat gripping onto his phone which had been hooked up to the speakers. He’d blasted Michael Jackson for the entire road trip (with no objections allowed) as Jaemin poked at Jeno’s neck to the tune of MJ and laughed loudly just to catch his eyes turn to crescents in the rearview mirror as he drove, trying to push him past the breaking point until Renjun finally slapped his hands away and distracted him with some odd animal fact- the ones only Jaemin really paid attention to.

 

The first thing Donghyuck noticed was that in the month since their last meeting Mark’s hair had been dyed back to black and cropped- he looked perfectly normal again. He still wore the jean jacket and spectacles but Donghyuck assumed his mother finally told him enough with the angel hair. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a weight build up in his stomach, of disappointment. Not only at the loss of a quirky trait that had initially made Mark so intriguing but also at the fact he was even more attractive this way. His cheekbones looked sharper, his eyes brighter and he just looked older. More mature.

 

It was ridiculous, he was the exact same person. They were barely acquaintances and didn’t have an attached label other than ‘classmates’.

 

Someone’s hair shouldn’t make them more intimidating or more adult. It was a superficial way to live. But Donghyuck knew this was just the way it had been, Jaemin got called a fag twice as often by the senior football guys at their school when his hair had been pink that year and so naturally he had twice as many people to beat the shit out of behind the school dumpsters. It was because they saw him as a threat, being bisexual Jaemin wasn’t just a gay accessory to them, he could kiss their girlfriends too.

 

In the end, Jeno would jump in from the side and pull a restless Jaemin away with his bloody knuckles and have it so their foreheads were only a short space apart, talking him down from his anger. Donghyuck would drag the lid off of his milkshake and throw the contents all over the pile of useless meatheaded homophobes, before moving aside to let Jeno finish off anyone who still had the energy to talk back.

 

They’d return to the cafeteria to Renjun who’d take one look at them, put down his book and pull up his backpack from by his feet before searching for a small box he had stashed away under all the paper. It was plastered with Moomin stickers and inside had a wide array of bandages and plasters of different colours and sizes.

 

The shortest boy would tug Jaemin down and clean up whatever visible bleeding he had in silence whilst Donghyuck wrapped his arm around Jeno, they basically shared one body at this point and he could feel the silent pulses of anger coming off of his skin. He could feel them coming off of himself.

 

What Donghyuck was late to notice were the two boys beside Mark and Heejin, his girlfriend. One was shorter with curly hair and soft features, cheeks still a little chubby with baby fat but clearly at least 14 years old since Nayeon stated with multiple exclamation points that there would be no babysitting at her lake house- it would be fun, fun, fun only. The other boy was almost taller than Mark, but still definitely younger than him. He was wearing a beanie in summer and looked like he really didn’t really want to be there, the corners of his mouth pinched and eyes a little dejected and swollen.

 

Meanwhile, Heejin was nice- she did cheerleading, she played the violin and she volunteered at every single fundraising and or charity event their school held each year. She was a hard girl to hate. She was polite to everyone and to Nayeon’s annoyance even more perfect than her- because just when you’d expect the girl’s one big flaw to be that she didn’t know how to have fun, that she didn’t smoke or couldn’t down a jaeger bomb in one hit- she’d prove you wrong.

 

Heejin could roll a blunt, she danced on tables and not in a cringe, sloppy and drunk way- she danced well, the kind of dancing that boys and girls would stop to admire and she was funny without trying to be. The girl even had an alcohol tolerance Donghyuck would say wasn’t far off his own. So naturally, he simply avoided her.

 

If she tried to talk to him at parties, he’d shove Nayeon her way- distracting her with talk of her relationship with Mark that Nayeon would later feedback to Donghyuck whilst sprawled out under the coffee table in her living room- once the rest of their friends had gone home. If he spoke to Heejin then he would be forced to like her, just like the rest of their year did- and he really did not want to like Mark Lee’s girlfriend.

 

From his spot on the sofa, right by the windowsill, he could also see Nayeon’s older brother Doyoung dragging another box of her clothes up to the house. His friends were joining them too and Donghyuck had been given a brief rundown of their names over text on the drive down.

 

There was a lean shorter guy with bright white hair that sort of reminded him of an elf from LOTR- his face was so symmetrical it almost felt like a lie, having people exist looking like that after a 3-hour drive with no make-up, was a total scam. The other guy was tall, in fact, he was very tall- he had black hair that looked a little greasy but in a fashionable way with an undercut, oddly contrasted with the soft dimples and full lips. He had the pale skin Korean magazines shoved down everyone’s throat on every billboard and the lean body of an idol. Trust Nayeon’s family to find all the best looking people that weren’t already famous to invite out over summer.

 

“Nayeon, if you don’t come here and get some of your shit- I will personally position it in the middle of the dirt road and run it all over with the car,” hissed Doyoung, juggling multiple boxes with a very unpleasant expression on his face.

 

He turned his head to face Donghyuck, who had been busy ‘checking the weather for the week’ when in reality he’d had his eyes out on the driveway like a hawk- observing all the new arrivals.

 

It was odd that Donghyuck had never really met Doyoung before, although he’d been at Nayeon’s house so many times that it was practically a second home.

 

He looked like Nayeon. Shiny black hair, dark but demanding eyes and the smile- the smile only rich kids were trained from birth to have. Big, glossy and camera ready. Just like that in fact, Doyoung switched from pissed off to pleasant chaperone; “Hello kids, what are you up to,” he questioned, tilting his head into the living room- seeing Jeno napping on the sofa with his jacket over his eyes whilst Renjun and Jaemin sat cross-legged on the floor discussing Nayeon’s endless film collection. The elder scanned the area proficiently, his eyes narrowed like he was sniffing for blood.

 

“Not much.”

 

“Well- you enjoy yourselves and your time here okay, if you need anything just ask me- or Jaehyun. If you’re dying, I’m doing pre-med and should hopefully be able to resuscitate you and if you need life advice, or have a burning need to talk then Jaehyun is studying philosophy so I’m sure he will be able to give you a quote of the day or something.”

 

“What about the blonde guy?”

 

“Taeyong?”

 

“He’s useless don’t talk to him.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Donghyuck really had no idea how this had happened.

 

One second he was sat on the sofa, minding his own business- greeting people as they arrived and dropping sarcastic remarks about said people in the group chat the moment they were out of his sight- and the next minute he was surrounded.

 

Sandwiched between Mark Lee and Taeyong. Useless (1) and Useless (2), not that Mark had any idea that this was how Donghyuck viewed him.

 

They were discussing rap because apparently, this was something Taeyong had a shared passion for- he heard Jay Z, Drake, Kendrick and Kanye tossed back and forth in the conversation with big animated hand movements. One second he was being jabbed from the left, and another from the right.

 

“What about you Donghyuck? What music do you listen to?” quizzed Taeyong, head on knee and lips a little pouty like talking so much about the artists he loved reminded him he’d be spending the week with a bunch of teenagers that would only want to blast the new pop songs on repeat.

 

“He likes Michael Jackson,” Mark replied quickly, avoiding the obvious surprised glare Donghyuck directed his way at the supplementary drop of information.

 

“How’d you know that? I never mentioned that to you.”

 

He was genuinely alarmed by this, he’d done his absolute best to avoid Mark Lee and his stupid perm of curly hair ever since it was announced through the grapevine of gossip around their school that he was dating Heejin. If he had to interact with him it was blunt and emotionless, the little details of his personality were not for Mark Lee to know.

 

“Uh- the t-shirts. You wear them all the time.”

 

Well so much for the other boy figuring him out, it was an obvious thing to pick up- Donghyuck had been paranoid for nothing, thinking Mark Lee spent his days asking about him and what music he liked.

 

He narrowed his eyes at Mark in a hostile manner and groaned dryly before turning to face Taeyong who’d been watching the exchange with curious eyes, “I like Michael Jackson.”

 

However, before the conversation developed past Taeyong’s big smile and exciting story of how he’d once done a solo dance at his school’s talent show to ‘Purple Rain’ and evolved into something that involved a whole lot more Mark Lee- he stood up and out of his cramped position and made his way outside the patio doors to the garden.

 

Mark made Donghyuck feel a lot of things he actively worked to never bring to the surface. He was a tiny speck in the cosmos of Donghyuck’s mind that was ruining everything. He was meaningless, he gave Donghyuck no real reason to feel these things- his general existence shouldn’t be enough? He should earn his heart and not just steal it like this- one stupid blunt and one stupid bracelet couldn’t be enough to cause a tear in the make-up of Donghyuck’s galaxy and reduce him to emotional chaos. He refused to allow it. Mark Lee would not break him.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

There was already talk of a bonfire for the following evening since it’d been too dark by the time everyone had settled in and unpacked for any real activities to commence.

 

The bad luck followed Donghyuck like a rain-cloud awaiting a storm.

 

The room he was sharing with Jeno, Jaemin and Renjun was on the top floor. The three-story chalet had only a certain amount of rooms and their floor had the two smallest of the main bedrooms. They’d arrived early and so claimed their room first- Renjun was the one who’d always been the pickiest and the view from the top floor was by far the most beautiful. The small rustic wooden window frame led to a picturesque vision of the sparkling lake as it reflected the rising moon and the rich woodlands surrounding it. Donghyuck could practically feel Renjun itching to draw it- and so it was decided. A tight space never bothered them like it seemed to bother others, they’d grown up together and it was what they’d known.

 

The part of all this that Donghyuck didn’t anticipate, however, was being neighbours with Mark Lee, his younger brother Jisung and Chenle his best friend. They’d arrived late and so were the last guests to choose their room. Heejin was sharing with Nayeon and her other best friend from out of town called Sejeong. They’d taken the largest room on the ground floor. Meanwhile, Doyoung and his friends took the room on the middle floor. This only really left a couple single bedrooms scattered around the house, or the room right opposite Donghyuck’s.

 

He realised it was unlikely that Mark had intended to do this. To station himself right next to the boy who was aggressively trying to keep his distance. Even if Donghyuck successfully managed to get the boy off his mind, he’d be right there- only a couple steps away, to torture him with his proximity.

 

It was comedic. He’d be on his way to the bathroom, in his long fluffy yellow socks half sliding down his calves and flannel sleep shorts- gliding his feet across the glossy wood panelled floors- and Mark would be there. He'd be making his way out of the bathroom, a toothbrush hanging out of his lips surrounded by a halo of foamy toothpaste. He would smile genuinely but a little awkwardly and do a small wave before carefully analysing Donghyuck’s legs and his colourful socks.

 

He had the puffy tired eyes from the long day of travel and the spectacles to boot. Donghyuck found himself biting his lip till it was tender just to keep his mouth shut and not recycle one of the Harry Potter jokes he’d used on Jeno over the years.

 

“Hi,” said Mark as he waddled out of Donghyuck’s way with a towel between his thighs.

 

“Hi,” replied Donghyuck swiftly as he shoved his way into space previously occupied by the other.

 

“Bye?” chimed Mark, a little confused as Donghyuck began shutting the door in his face.

 

“Bye.” Donghyuck retorted, pressing his back against the closed door as he slammed it. Inhaling deeply, feeling his brows strain in distress, listening through the door as Mark returned to his bedroom and gently shut his own door. This was going to be harder than he’d initially expected- avoiding Mark Lee.

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Blood Oranges and Fruit Punches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t know, hickeys are pretty hard to disguise,” Mark replied coldly.
> 
> So maybe he did remember more than he let on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! hope you like, leave comment if you did!
> 
> some making out for good old loli who requested it :* sorry yukhei sweetie I used you as a prop in this! love you to the moon and back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Blood Oranges and Fruit Punches**

 

 

 

 

 

  
The bonfire consisted of a large open flame, fuelled by heaps of dry wood that Jaehyun, Jeno, Jaemin and Mark had previously lifted over to the designated area in rounds.

 

 

Mismatched sunbeds, thick trunks of wood rolled to the side to act as benches and multi-coloured blankets were scattered around the perimeter of the flame.

 

 

It wasn’t pitch black outside yet since the sun was setting at it’s very latest this time of year and the wind picked up sparks from the fire in gusts- that twinkled around the base of the flame where the reds and yellows were richest.

 

 

They were all sprawled around the huge bonfire dipping their marshmallows in so they could roast till they were charred and gooey whilst sipping the icy fruit punch Taeyong had made in gallons earlier that day (he was apparently more skilled in the kitchen than most).

 

 

However, warm bursts of air from the fire were not the only thing keeping Donghyuck ablaze more than usual- the decorative and expensive looking bottle of Tequila that Nayeon had stashed in her luggage before arriving was also doing the trick- oh and the red wine her family must have left in storage after their last holiday at the chalet was certainly contributing too.

 

 

It most definitely was not the curious eyes of Mark Lee, observing him through the tapered tips of the flame. Tracing his skin with his eyes shamelessly like Donghyuck wouldn’t notice, with a sharp breath caught in his throat.

 

 

It was like time had stopped. It was just the two of them. Eyes locked.

 

 

Donghyuck felt lethargic and weightless. The boy at the opposite side of the flame tilting his head just to continue the exchange around the shifting mirage of light between them, the irises of his eyes reflecting the dancing amber hues.

 

 

Mark Lee was being playful, he’d noticed Donghyuck was tipsy and was taking advantage of this- seeking Donghyuck out when he was weak and easily susceptible to making mistakes and pinning him down with his gaze.

 

 

“Give me that,” he breathed distractedly before feeling around Renjun’s lap for the bottle of liquor he knew was there, snatching it by the neck and taking a long gulp. His eyes still glued on Mark’s, who’s dumb half-moon eyebrows had lifted in slight amusement in response, or maybe shyness at the sudden forwardness of it all.

 

 

“Were you paying any attention to anything I just said-,” sighed Renjun expectedly.

 

 

Donghyuck huffed in response, annoyed at being disturbed from his staring contest before turning to face his friend, who was currently bundled up in a thick tartan blanket like a nun or maybe a ghost- clearly not immune to the chiller nights in spite of the blazing summer heat.

 

 

“Something about Jaemin and recklessness?”

 

 

His friend groaned, picking at his brow with the tips of his nails and chewing at the corner of his bottom lip a little, “You totally just pulled that out of your ass didn’t you.”

 

 

It seemed more like a statement meant to comfort himself rather than accuse Donghyuck of being a liar. He’d turned back to search for Mark but the boy wasn’t looking his way anymore, his head was angled to face the spot where Heejin was next to him with his lips curved up in a gentle smile as the girl giggled animatedly.

 

 

It was enough to snap Donghyuck out of it and fully return his focus to Renjun, he needed something to distract him from the added burning sensation in his stomach- not just from the alcohol but from the simmering bitterness he had towards this whole thing.

 

 

  
“I’m right though aren’t I?”

 

 

Renjun deflated whilst clenching his fingers in tight fists for a minute, before pressing the heels of his hands to the ground around him and lifting his body up in frustration, “Just look.”

 

 

Donghyuck gazed around the fire until he laid eyes on the boy with raspberry pink hair. He couldn’t spot anything out of the ordinary, he was sat on one of the blankets a little to the left beside Jeno who had abandoned his button-up shirt in favour of a muscle tank and was casually strumming at a guitar.

 

 

However, as Donghyuck followed Jaemin’s eyes over to the spot he was almost robotically focused on he quickly adapted to notice the differences in his body language- his shoulders were tense and his upper lip tight- his fingers tapping at the ground as if he were trying to hold himself back from doing something impulsive.

 

 

Then, he faced the subject of the boy’s frustration- Im Nayeon.

 

 

“I’m going to kill her.”

 

 

“You’re too short to even reach her face, let alone do any damage.”

 

 

“I will do it- and you- you won’t be able to stop me because I’ve been your best friend for longer.”

 

 

“Renjun-” he sighed, tugging up the collar of his white loose fitting button up which had been sliding down his shoulder more and more as the night continued.

 

 

Taking pity on his friend, who empathised a little too easy and clearly just wanted to protect Jaemin who in the end, was the current priority for them all in terms of providing a little stability for someone with less than sure footing- he nodded his head in Jaemin’s direction.

 

 

“Go speak to him already and tell Jeno to come meet me by the stash of marshmallows over there,” he informed as he waved his hand haphazardly in the direction of the bags of marshmallows piled up atop a heap of extra blankets a little further away from the central bonfire.

 

 

For a minute Renjun looked worried, glancing between their spot on the ground and Jaemin’s with hesitation. It was harder than it looked, empathising easily- especially when you weren’t sure you were ever good enough at being there for people and not making a nuisance of yourself in the process. Communication was always difficult when irrational feelings were involved, there was never really a step by step instruction guide on how to go about it.

 

 

In the end, however, they split up and went their separate ways, Renjun sat by Jaemin and wrapped the blanket he’d kept for himself lightly around the both of them. He’d begun working to distract the other boy from his thoughts with a deck of cards he’d had in his back pocket. Whilst, Donghyuck made his way over to the meeting spot he’d picked out- only seconds behind was his other half and indefinite partner in crime, the boy most fit for the job ahead.

 

 

Jeno’s arm wrapped around his shoulder and assessed Donghyuck like he was expecting him to have grown another head or something equally ridiculous- thus, having an appropriately ‘Donghyuck-like’ reason to call for a secret meeting.

 

 

“I need you to distract Nayeon.”

 

 

Jeno’s eyebrows lifted for a minute before he analysed the situation to his left and sighed, “I think she’s a little preoccupied right now.”

 

 

“I know that- that,” Donghyuck emphasised with a disgusted scrunch of his nose, as he circled the area Nayeon was currently defacing, “-is exactly what we need to bring a stop to.”

 

 

“Who even is that guy?”

 

 

“I think his parents own one of the other lake houses here- Yukhei? I think that was his name.”

 

 

“Well he’s made himself right at home, that’s for sure.”

 

 

Donghyuck groaned at this, slapping his best friends arm before catching sight of where Nayeon’s hand was drifting in Yukhei’s lap where she was currently perched, doing what Donghyuck could only describe as trying to eat his face off- and felt himself gagging a little.

 

 

“Enough. I can’t take it anymore, I promised Renjun I’d get them to stop. Nayeon has a bladder the size of a peanut and I haven’t seen her leave in a while, she’s bound to have to go piss at some point.”

 

 

“So, what’s the plan?”

 

 

“Hey Doyoung,” Donghyuck called out, casually- as not to alert those around them, specifically one large and in charge soon to be prey, Yukhei.

 

 

Doyoung lifted his head from where he was sat with his back against a tree and Jaehyun’s head in his lap and a sleeping Taeyong against his neck- Donghyuck was beginning to think that whole ‘useless’ thing was a big fat lie considering just how proud of himself Doyoung looked, having Taeyong stationed there. It wasn’t like Jaehyun looked uncomfortable either, tapping at his cellphone and humming like Doyoung's thighs were personal cushions, ones he was familiar with.

 

 

“What’s up kids,” Doyoung retorted, voice clinical as ever- but a little less loud now that he had sleeping beauty (1) and (2) laying across him.

 

 

“Hypothetically speaking, if either Jeno or I were to- emphasis on the hypothetically- seduce Yukhei away from your sister for the remainder of the night… who’d you think would have a more successful run at it. Is he more into red haired twinks or buff brunettes.”

 

 

Doyoung didn’t even seem alarmed at this line of questioning, he simply glanced Donghyuck and a confused Jeno up and down before reaching the conclusion that Yukhei was not developed enough to go for Jeno- he was bi-curious at most and still mainly drooled over anime titties rather than a good set of hard abs. Doyoung liked Jeno a lot, however, because quote on quote ‘he was the most polite teenager’ he’d ever met and the last couple statements were essentially a glossy set of insults directed at Donghyuck. But whatever, he’d take it- he had a mission after all.

 

 

Unaffected he spun on his heel to face Jeno, “You heard the man. Go, run to the bathroom and find a way to stall Nayeon- meanwhile, I will distract Mr.Meathead over there.”

 

 

“Fine,” Jeno groaned, “Not sure how I’m going to keep Im Nayeon away, especially when she’s horny but- I’ll think of something.”

 

 

“Attaboy, let’s do a whole report back at the bunks later partner,” he chanted dramatically before saluting his best friend, “If Nayeon’s libido doesn’t kill you then the fuckboy energy radiating from over there sure as hell will take me down. If I never see you again, I really did love you Jeno.”

 

 

“Fucking hell, shut up- and go,” mumbled Jeno with an eye-roll, that quickly showed its true colours and evolved into his trademark pretty eye smile. He halfheartedly saluted Donghyuck back before jogging in the direction of the house, perfectly in sync with Nayeon who had just risen and was practically trotting at double his speed.

 

 

Now all that was left was preventing one boy from stalking after Nayeon when he noticed she’s gone and alerting Jaemin to the fact she was getting busy with someone other than him even more than the animalistic making out had.

 

 

Donghyuck tentatively made his way over to his subject and sat beside Yukhei on the textured wooden log. The boy turned to face him and grinned, he laughed like a rumbling dragon to the point where the log felt like it was shaking a little and nudged Donghyuck with his arm in a way that might feel a little rough considering they’d never spoken, however, he was certain the gigantic and proportionately muscular boy had a ‘Hulk’ problem where to him what felt like a gentle push could probably throw a person to the other side of Korea.

 

 

However, this didn’t quite feel like the start he was looking for, getting laughed at and all but luckily Yukhei elaborated by pointing to Donghyuck’s hair and saying, “You look like a walking blood orange from the Chinese markets back home.”

 

 

Donghyuck stuttered at this a little, unsure of whether that was an insult or compliment.

 

 

Yukhei’s smile didn’t falter however, It could probably rival the suns that were larger than their sun- the red sun or something. The boy was definitely bigger than life in aura, even Donghyuck got tired but Yukhei seemed to have an endless battery.

 

 

“They taste like sweet raspberries,” hummed Yukhei thoughtfully for a moment before reiterating, "the oranges I mean- a little bitter too.”

 

 

So this was what his flirting game had devolved to since Mark Lee, still fruit but far less banter and far less Donghyuck.

 

 

He pressed his fingers to Yukhei’s hard corded and muscular forearm, a classic move, finding a way to touch the person you were interested in casually enough to not scare them away but also with enough meaning to display your longing for more.

 

 

At that moment, he remembered Mark wasn’t just some memory- he was there at the bonfire with them. He turned his eyes in the direction of the boy who was far closer than he’d been before- with a far better view of Donghyuck and a much stormier concentration in his eyes directed right at Donghyuck’s hand, the one doing the strategic flirting. Interesting.

 

 

Yukhei took notice of the hand as well and in turn, Donghyuck elaborated, “Wow, our skin is the same colour, I never thought I’d see the day.”

 

 

He got bolder and moved his fingers to lightly press against the thicker muscles of Yukhei’s thigh. So, maybe this wasn’t that bad- maybe Donghyuck could drag the fun out of it more than he’d initially thought.

 

 

The arm he’d just abandoned had tensed as Yukhei began flexing his muscles and showing off, grinning broadly and flashing his pearly teeth, before pushing Donghyuck in a ‘friendly’ manner again, “Never really got the obsession with being pale, it suits me and it suits you too little 血橙.”

 

 

Just as Donghyuck was about to formulate a response that took the conversation towards something a little more sensual- he was interrupted by the appearance of the one and only Mark Lee.

 

 

“Blood Orange huh?”

 

 

“Since when do you know Chinese, Canada?”

 

 

Mark replied confidently, “I took after school classes back home, my mum considered moving there for a little while since that was where my aunt and her husband lived- so she told me if I signed up and did well she’d buy me new recording equipment.”

 

 

“How precious.”

 

 

“Personally, I always preferred peaches to oranges.”

 

 

“My hair hasn’t faded yet, I dyed it red before coming- It doesn’t exactly look like a peach now does it, dimwit,” he hissed, his fingers tightening on Yukhei’s thigh- who remained blissfully unbothered by the tense exchange before him.

 

 

“I think it’s hot,” the previously friendly and nothing but friendly Yukhei emphasised, whilst pointing a finger at Donghyuck and tracing it down his general frame, “What do you think Mark?”

 

 

Mark jumped a little at this like he hadn’t expected his bold charge towards Donghyuck and cool, calm and collected use of Chinese to end up biting him in the ass.

 

 

“It’s- It’s nice.”

 

 

“How eloquent,” Donghyuck retorted with an eye roll as he turned pointedly back to face Yukhei and smiled sweetly, dropping his voice a couple octaves to thank him for his compliment.

 

 

“No problem- wait, my neck is itchy as fuck and I can’t tell if it’s a mosquito bite, a hickey or if the weed is making me hallucinate and I just need to eat,” Yukhei listed, seemingly back to his general bro’s only talk- so much for ‘hot’, the guys mind jumped from topic to topic so fast that Donghyuck couldn’t even tell if he meant ‘hot’ as in fuckable or not.

 

  
Nonetheless, Donghyuck milked the last bit of skinship he’d had so he could rub it into Mark Lee’s wounds like salt and gently brushed Yukhei’s neck with his fingertips as he searched the area with a tentative eye.

 

 

“I think it’s a mosquito bite,” he hummed, running his thumb over a red bump.

 

 

“Great,” Yukhei pouted, “The worst option of the three by far.”

 

 

“I don’t know, hickeys are pretty hard to disguise,” Mark replied coldly, so maybe he did remember more than he let on.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

_“Let me walk you home,” whispered Mark, head tilting back and forth like a pendulum, his arm half caught in the sleeve of his jacket and feet barely keeping him vertical._

 

 

_“I think you mean, I should walk you home Canada- you’re barely standing let alone walking and your jeep is no use to me since I can’t drive and you sure as hell aren’t driving anyone anywhere.”_

 

 

_Mark looked offended by this accusation and tried to balance himself, pushing his messy hair out of his eyes haphazardly with the back of his free arm and making determined eye contact with Donghyuck, “I’m -- fine.”_

 

 

_“Sure thing big boy,” Donghyuck giggled, grabbing the boy by his shoulder so he could move closer and help him weave his arm back into his twisted jean jacket._

 

 

_“S’fun.”_

 

 

_“What is?”_

 

 

_“Being friends with Donghyuck.”_

 

 

_“The Donghyuck?” he questioned a little fondly and a little sarcastically, as the boy in front of him spoke about him in third person as if he weren’t right there._

 

 

_He sighed softly observing the messy boy one last time, framed by the golden lights of Nayeon’s home, before kicking open the door slightly with the heel of his combat boot and grabbing the messenger bag he’d abandoned earlier in Nayeon’s foyer._

 

 

_“Come on Canada, let’s get you home,” Donghyuck bemused with an expression that made it seem like he was holding back a laugh, lip bitten and eyes a little warmer. He glanced down at the bracelet on his wrist, which Mark had earlier wrestled him on Nayeon’s expensive creme carpet into wearing- something about wanting his new best friend from Korea to have something of his. Jeno snorted from his place on the sofa at the bold statement, eyes half closed, clearly not giving a shit about the claim for his position- fucker._

 

 

_The walk back from Nayeon’s house to Donghyuck’s wasn’t too long and Mark lived a couple streets down, it might have taken the blonde boy a good 10 minutes to remember his address but luckily once he’d gotten it Donghyuck knew vaguely where to find it- Mark was definitely in no shape to be giving any directions- or at least useful ones._

 

 

_Meanwhile, Donghyuck was sharp on his feet with stuff like that, he had a good head on him in terms of memorising his surroundings, thereby also the streets around his house. Yeri definitely did not share this skill and had a whole folder on her phone for navigation apps as well as her younger brother on speed dial when she inevitably got lost going to the mini-mart or something._

 

 

_The question of physical affection was still on Donghyuck’s mind from earlier, Mark had held his wrist with a confident but soft touch as he’d clipped his bracelet on, their fingers constantly brushing sending little sparks of electricity down semi-sober Donghyuck’s spine. The other had moved closer to him under his own accords, called him his ‘best friend’ although that was clearly a drunken misjudgment of their friendly encounter and already attached to him a messy string of other affectionate nicknames._

 

 

_Donghyuck hated sentimental things as much as he loved hoarding them, once an item with a certain history or moment behind it was left in his hands he became a slave to it. Thus, he was incapable of ever getting rid of it and the often painful memories attached to it._

 

 

_He’d still kept the wrapper from the strawberry bubble chewing gum his first boyfriend Chan had given him on their first date, it was in a decorative box he’d kept at the back of his closet along with other little keepsakes such as a polaroid Yeri had taken of Donghyuck after he’d dyed his hair slime green one year- trying to hide his face because he looked like a troll and regretted the whole thing the second he dragged the towel off of his freshly washed and dyed hair. Okay so maybe there he kept reminders of memories both good and bad._

 

 

_Chan was the Australian exchange student that came to their school during Donghyuck’s first year of high school and he was the best first boyfriend any boy could have wished for really. He kissed Donghyuck with no shame even though he was inexperienced and probably terrible at it and made him a new playlist every month with cheesy love songs from the 80’s and 2000’s RnB. He was the kind of guy that was boyish but unafraid to give his all, he could laugh everything off with a cheeky cocky grin and whisper some ridiculous Australian words that Donghyuck did not understand with his oddly charming accent and he’d get away with anything- whilst raising Donghyuck’s heart rate in the process._

 

 

_Now all was left were a couple letters they’d sent the first 6 months after Chan returned home and a constant set of reassuring words Donghyuck would chant to himself everytime he was hit with a blast of memories of just how good it felt to not have to tease and pout and beg for platonic affection but instead to be given the romantic kind for free._

 

 

_In that sense maybe Donghyuck had a type, slightly older boys from abroad with a goofy bad humour and determined eyes. If he couldn’t press their buttons and get a reaction Donghyuck wasn’t interested. Mark seemed less bold than Chan but magnetic nonetheless and funny in his own accidental kind of way. Maybe he wasn’t going to spin him around in the school parking lot on his skateboard or show up drunk at his door at 3 am and serenade Sooyoung with a Chan-special solo song- but he made Donghyuck feel all those dormant emotions again, being interested in someone as more than a friend._

 

 

_They were taking a shortcut across a small grassy stretch between Nayeon’s house and their destination and Mark had not stopped taking obvious and long glances Donghyuck’s way._

 

 

_The boy wasn’t exactly easy to resist either- Donghyuck was just slyer with how he showed his interest because his newly formed “best friend” was begging to be kissed, lips a little red, spectacles falling off his nose and hair looking ripe to drag fingers through and ruin. Mark Lee’s attention could be Donghyuck’s alone and so could his mouth- the boy was just enough of a walking disaster that it wasn’t a burden but rather kind of cute and it made Donghyuck clench his fists in temptation- if he couldn’t kiss Mark Lee he sure as hell would tease him instead._

 

 

_So he began to walk backwards along the footpath and face Mark as they walked, who grinned in drunken amusement at this change of pace and played along, having the audacity to tell Donghyuck in his own disorientated state to not “fall over”._

 

 

_Pouting his hardest and grabbing Mark by the sleeve to tug him forward a little, he sent a piercing glance his way and mumbled, “Who you telling not to fall over, fool.”_

 

 

_Donghyuck carefully but intentionally nudged Mark aside making him lose balance for a second, falling back- until Donghyuck tugged him forward again, eyes crinkled and hair a little wind ruffled._

 

 

_“See Canada, I think you are the one that needs to be more careful. I have the control in this relationship.”_

 

 

_“Relationship,” hummed Mark happily, before teasing Donghyuck’s freckled cheek with his thumb, eyes like saucers in awe, “-like the sound of that.”_

 

 

_At this, Donghyuck paused- mind racing and analysing the word relationship like a supercomputer running data in a lab- weighted words with many meanings really did fuck with a young boys mind more than anything. He hated a lack of clarity, he hated not knowing._

 

 

_The eyes staring him down and hands touching Donghyuck’s cheek were driving him crazy. He had to escape before he really did something stupid- like act on that burning need to kiss Mark Lee till he was breathless and only knew one name, his._

 

 

_Thus, he spun out of reach and giggled before racing backwards playfully- maintaining his balance. Mark stumbled for a minute before his eyes hardened a little with disappointment at the clear sudden lack of Donghyuck pressed against him and the loss of his soft cheek against his fingers._

 

 

_“I think best friends will have to wait, I’m afraid Jeno has me booked up for the next 3-7 business days Markie,” Donghyuck whisper-yelled, more for dramatic effect and as a means to maintain the flirty banter they had whilst also simultaneously getting him out of kissing someone he’d only just met- maybe sober Mark would be different, maybe he would want nothing to do with him._

 

 

_Donghyuck liked his chaos contained and regulated. He also had a feeling Mark Lee wasn’t the type of boy he would be happy kissing just once- he’d want his hands on him every time they were together- he’d want his stupid head full of blonde overgrown messy curls in his lap so he could card his hands through it and he’d want to brand Nayeon’s kitchen counter at every party with his ass as he wrapped his legs around Mark’s slim waist and planted his hands into his back pockets just to alert the media even more that- Mark Lee was his._

 

 

_Once Donghyuck decided his entire heart desired something he would subconsciously insert himself into the situation good or bad just to make himself memorable. In that sense, he and Jaemin were really the same. They’d convince themselves they didn’t need or want something anymore until it was right there in front of them and then, fuck logic- they’d quip, kiss, hit, fight and scream their way into the memory files of the given individual with or without their permission._

 

 

_Really, he was doing Mark Lee a favour- once he’d gotten attached, the boy would be on his future grave bed and his final memory would be Donghyuck poking him and asking him if he’d ever ridden a moose in Canada like Putin had the bear, all shirtless and everything. He’d have an endless list of half insults as his last thought, that in reality were an outlet for Donghyuck’s want to be wanted- and well what would Donghyuck get out of this potential future filled with unrequited hassling? A little bit of fucking satisfaction perhaps._

 

 

_Mark’s entire demeanour turned competitive at that moment, he became a little steely and retained some of his lost balance as he jogged after Donghyuck- his converse pounding against the ground and specs bouncing a little on the bridge of his nose._

 

 

_“I didn’t mean best friends-,” he croaked- a little breathless, “I meant this-” he grabbed Donghyuck forward by the elbows of his bomber jacket till their every limb was touching and their lips were slammed together. In the rush of it all, the air around them stilled for a moment, or at least the effect of Donghyuck’s full top lip hitting Mark’s wet bottom lip made it seem like it had._

 

 

_Mark Lee smelled like rain and fir trees in the summertime, Donghyuck had his fists roughly gripping to the front of his jean jacket and was breathing in nothing but this scent. He was overwhelmed, just as he’d liked it. He moved his long fingers up Mark’s chest and the simple black t-shirt hugging it before digging his nails lightly into the pectorals of the boy whose lips tasted like warm cranberry from the alcohol they’d shared and a hum of tobacco from Donghyuck’s cigarette. Essentially, Mark Lee’s lips had already been infiltrated by Donghyuck and it was only time he’d fully laid his claim._

 

 

_“Mm- ‘love your hair,” hissed Mark as he raked his fingers through Donghyuck’s peach orange locks. “And your skin, fuck you glow like this-,” he croaked pressing his hands to Donghyuck’s cheeks again, “all the time, ‘noticed it on the first day too.”_

 

 

_Donghyuck blushed at this sudden revelation, whilst he was snorting at Mark from Canada and his stupid hair and grand entrance- Mark had noticed him too? He’d seeked him out at Nayeon’s with an already pre-prepared determination to get to know him and honestly, Donghyuck didn’t know how to handle this._

 

 

_Renjun got the secret notes in his locker from student’s in the year below telling him his art was as pretty as his smile (which he complained about but then kept), Jaemin had Nayeon and the constant whispers of how “fucking hot” he was every time he entered a room and Jeno was entirely oblivious to the fact that Donghyuck saw him as more than just his best friend for the majority of middle school- and that he was the ideal image of what he’d compared his crushes to since. Donghyuck just had Chan, for a little while there at least- he was never really the one to make an instant impact without a full marketing ploy involving his typical loud flirting and Jaemin didn’t need the colourful hair to stand out whilst in Donghyuck’s mind he was invisible without it._

 

 

_Before he had a chance to process Mark Lee’s complimentary words, they were kissing again with even more fervour. His hands were all over the nape of Mark’s hair still scratching and their bodies were pressed together so tight they could have been mistaken for a single body from a distance- luckily it was dark and empty enough that the excessive display of PDA would remain a secret between the two boys._

 

 

_Donghyuck’s lips had a mind of their own now, getting into the swing of licking at the other boy’s mouth and biting it swollen that they’d decided to explore other areas too, such as Mark’s paler and even more sensitive neck._

 

 

_“Fuck, Hyuck,” mumbled Mark, tipping his head back with closed eyes before cupping Donghyuck’s ass which looked undoubtedly exquisite in his tight black skinny jeans and lifting him up so his legs were loosely wrapped around the other._

 

 

_However, before Donghyuck could process just how bad of an idea this was- distracted by mouthing at Mark’s pulse point and the feeling of his hands on his ass- and questioning Mark’s sudden show of ‘mother when her baby is trapped under a car’ level of strength in lifting a boy of almost equal height up in the air whilst drunk- they were falling._

 

 

_“Oof,” huffed Donghyuck, they fell rather slowly luckily- into the grass around them, it was more of a glorified tumble. But, he acted scared for Mark’s life nonetheless, who had landed with the back of his head against the grass and Donghyuck on top of him, he cupped the back of his head and shook it lightly- to which Mark groaned, with visible hickeys on his neck and eyes half closed._

 

 

_He was clearly okay, just a little delirious and Donghyuck extended his teasing further by mock drying sweat off his forehead with the sleeve of his jacket, brows furrowed and giving fake CPR to Mark on the ground, “Sir the ambulance is coming, please stay with me.”_

 

 

_Mark groaned even louder at this, his glasses at an angle off his face now and lips curved up into a sleepy semi-teasing smile, “Thought you weren’t equipped to do CPR.”_

 

 

_“Sir, I don’t believe I remember saying this- I am frankly, always, prepared to save a life.”_

 

 

_Having had enough of this, Mark grabbed a giggling Donghyuck by his sides lightly and flipped them over before pressing his nose to the other’s, his glasses now discarded to the side._

 

 

_He ran his fingers across Donghyuck’s collar bones and went back in to kiss him further into not only the ground but what felt like his metaphorical grave. Chan might have matched Donghyuck’s humour better but Mark Lee out-kissed him to the point he’d felt a sudden urge to live amongst the clouds in the sky, like he could just float away and any given interaction after this one would be a definite disappointment._

 

 

  
_So, they kissed with all the passion in their bodies until the light began to break through the night sky and Mark’s neck had no space left to deface. They walked home and Donghyuck still maintained the hypothesis this was some kind of freak dream and had never happened as the next day they didn’t so much as exchange a hello._

 

 

_He didn’t tell his friends because he felt like an idiot for feeling so much and having the expiration date be so soon- what they knew was derived from what they could decipher themselves. He liked Mark. But Mark clearly did not like him back because not only did they fail to speak on the next day, he also agreed to a date with Heejin- Donghyuck had been rejected before but never had it hurt quite like this._

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Finally, by the time Nayeon had made it back, Yukhei had left- apologising that he had to take his little sister out swimming the next morning with a fond smile, suddenly remembering the still missing in action Nayeon who Jeno had impressively kept away for the past thirty minutes and asking Donghyuck to pass on a message that he’d call her tomorrow. In turn, Mark made his way back to his girlfriend and Donghyuck back to his friends. His walls back up, not even a fucking tsunami could break them now.

 

 

Nayeon was fuming, she sat next to Donghyuck and hissed for a short moment, “Jeno just spent the past god knows how many minutes, trying to frantically convince me my last trunk of clothes- the one by the front door, had been snatched by a pack of honey badgers. He would not let me leave until we checked, every- single- bush, for my fucking clothes. I swear to god some people should not be allowed near weed unsupervised and now Yukhei is fucking gone and I got absolutely none of the dick I deserved tonight-”

 

 

“He said he’d call by the way.”

 

 

“Oh, what use is that who fucking knows if I’ll still want his stupid dick tomorrow,” she groaned frustratedly before fishing out a leaf from her hair, from what Donghyuck could only assume to be the hunt for her ‘missing’ clothes.

 

 

“Thank god I packed a vibe, you can’t trust men to do anything right.”

 

 

  
“What about Jaemin? Last time I checked he was still your favourite toy.”

 

 

She froze a little at this, before sighing and tilting her head back in exasperation, “He’s getting too attached. It’s becoming therapy for him more than anything else and do I look like a fucking therapist to you, that’s all Doyoung.”

 

 

“Nayeon…”

 

 

“Look, I love Jaemin- not in a romantic way maybe, I love him as a person. But, he has had baggage ever since his dad-” she broke off, obviously having an internal conflict between feeling guilty and feeling righteous.

 

 

“He hasn’t been himself, you’re right,” sighed Donghyuck.

 

 

“I can’t fix that for him, I tried to do what I could and distract him but he needs to face his problems and not run from them. Every bloody therapist could tell you that.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

The second Jeno sat by Donghyuck, Nayeon was gone- yelling a wide range of profanities with hand gestures to boot.

 

 

“Congrats comrade, so we lived to see another day.”

 

 

Jeno ran a hand through his hair restlessly, eyes widening comically, “Don’t know about that, I think Nayeon might choke me in my sleep after that- mess.”

 

 

“Please,” hummed Donghyuck, “She’d have to get past me first and I’m pretty sure I could win in a fight with Im Nayeon.”

 

 

The tone shifted however when the night reached that point where everyone was tired and the few people still awake were discussing their lives- a little intrusive but also intriguing.

 

 

“So, Heejin what do your parents do?” asked Jaehyun, with a face that perpetually looked smug about something in a way that was beginning to grate on Donghyuck’s nerves. He was no longer in Doyoung’s lap but talking to Mark and Heejin on their side of the bonfire.

 

 

  
He picked at the scar on his knee, the one he’d gotten when Sooyoung had tried to teach him how to ride a bike on the empty street behind their flat. He’d accidentally tripped over the ginger street cat that was always lounging by the trash cans and face planted into the gravel and unfortunately a shard of smashed beer bottle. It was a nervous tick, picking at the old thing.

 

 

  
“Bet you her parents are missionaries in a foreign country or something,” whispered Jaemin, with a sarcastic smirk. He had returned with Renjun a couple minutes after Jeno and seemed to be in a far better mood than before.

 

 

  
“No,” mumbled Renjun, “They’re probably professors, something academic. Her dad would be an author of some trendy murder mystery novel all the middle-aged women are reading this summer.”

 

 

  
Jeno grumbled at this and began to quietly state, “Didn’t Nayeon say her mum was a-”

 

 

  
“My mother is a pastor,” replied Heejin brightly.

 

 

  
“-Pastor,” finished Jeno with a smirk, before shrugging and adding a knowing, “told you.”

 

 

  
“Her and Mark are really perfect for each other, both their parents are religious freaks,” sighed Donghyuck refusing to make eye contact with anyone around him as he dug the ridge of his thumb into the fleshy part of his tan thigh, leaving an imprint.

 

 

  
“Yeah, perfectly boring,” groaned Jaemin, dropping his head onto Donghyuck’s knee and looking up at him with a cheeky grin before reaching up to pat his friend’s cheek from his spot on the ground, “Cheer up Hyuckie, don’t let this ruin our trip.”

 

 

He wasn’t planning on it.

 

 

“I’m not really religious though, Mark reads his bible more than I do and he isn’t all that religious either.”

 

 

Perfect. Just fucking perfect.

 

 

  
Mark had Heejin, who was perfectly perfect and who did Donghyuck have? No one. It was just him and his broken heart and Mark Lee’s entitled stares. The boy had the girl of his dreams and still couldn’t leave Donghyuck to stew in his bitterness alone?

 

 

Yukhei was right- he was a little bitter.

 

 

But he was a whole lot aggravated and desperate to figure out just what he had done that made Mark Lee so repulsed the morning after their kiss. His pride was what held him back- answers came at the cost of tears after all.

 

 


End file.
